Rob Moore, the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, assured Cape Bretoners last week that "simply said" it will be "business as usual" with respect to federally funded economic development on the island following the imminent demise of Enterprise Cape Breton Corp.

But as our story today on the uncertain future of ECBC properties — and the slow trickle of other information — illustrates, there's nothing simple about decommissioning an active 27-year-old federal Crown corporation while ostensibly trying to maintain its impact and reach via other entities — namely ACOA and Public Works and Government Services Canada.

The Cape Breton Post asked both entities to outline plans for properties now owned by ECBC. But the collective response is "it is too early" to answer that question.

On a positive note, Moore has committed to keeping all those now employed by ECBC on the federal payroll — split between ACOA and Public Works, depending on the nature of their work. Indeed, they could be paid more as employees of those federal bodies, and the government has suggested it will hire more folks to staff a now vacant Port Hawkesbury office.

Relatedly, Moore has committed to maintain the same level of economic funding now distributed by ECBC.

However, the question prompted by both the staffing and funding commitments is: For how long? Not surprisingly, nobody's answering that one. If they did, the response would likely again be that "it is too early."

Indeed, the Conservative government — which played a part in weakening ECBC and then killed it — may not be around much longer to answer that question.

Cape Breton's Liberal MPs Mark Eyking and Rodger Cuzner are imploring the ruling party to make a long-term commitment to maintain the current level of federal economic development funding on the island.

So, we should expect Eyking and Cuzner, or whoever the Cape Breton Grit candidates are, to make that same promise on behalf of their party leading up to the next federal election, which is only 19 months away — tentatively slated for Oct. 19, 2015.

The measure of autonomy with which ECBC operated will not continue under ACOA. On the whole, that's unfortunate, although some of ECBC's moves have suggested that a little less autonomy might not be a bad thing.

Will decommissioning ECBC ultimately help, hinder or maintain economic development in Cape Breton? The answer depends largely on the government — and specifically the party — making the decisions and holding the purse strings.

Comments

Comments

Your name*Email*Comment*

Recent comments

Jim Backus

March 26, 2014 - 12:28

The Cape Breton MP’s are chasing a fool’s errand in imploring for the same level of funding. ECBC died because of gross mismanagement and we must accept that. ACOA has that portion of the federal investment budget, however the players seeking money are throughout the Atlantic Provinces. Core funding for many public and tourism initiatives remain. Cuzner and Eyking have to proceed with actual hard effort in assisting, lobbying and working at a grass roots level to obtain reasonable funding for new investment. To state that we want the same amount of dollars and leave it at that is embarrassing, it is why ECBC was wrapped up, investment has to make justifiable sense. It appears likely that Eyking and Cuzner will be on the governing side of Parliament next election. Unless they plan on taking pension and continue to coast after being held accountable in the following election, they had better start working for the future of Cape Breton.

It is reasonable to say we expect the same level of funding to be set aside; it's not one big ACOA pot, there is ACOA NS, NB, NL and PEI (and they are smaller than we are) and they each have their own yearly budget although sometimes money is pooled for pan-Atlantic projects. Within those offices, there is consideration given to different parts of those provinces..... Northern NB for example is on watch to make sure they get their share of the NB pot. We need to make sure the NS money doesn't all get spent on the mainland. But, we need to make sure we have quality projects here that are deserving of the support.

Ah CB

March 26, 2014 - 07:47

The best part about this article is the part where author makes mention of conservatives not being in power much longer. Just because cape bretoners think something; doesn't make it true and certainly doesn't mean the rest of the country shares that sentiment.. We have almost zero impact in elections.

One thing people don't realize is that ECBC gave the province (and the Halifax backroom boys) an easy out as far as our pathetic economy - they basically stayed out of ECBC's way, all the while resenting the fact that Cape Breton had "special status"! Federal dollars from ECBC for provincial strategic programming say in tourism were not simply added - they reduced the provincial contribution dollar for dollar which were then allotted to other parts of the province. That has gone on for years! Now's the time to get this Premier down here Cecil and let him wear some of this turmoil around his neck as any Nova Scotia Premier should!